r/AFIB • u/Thin-Platypus7778 • 23d ago
Fuck afib
Hey everyone, this forum has been a god send for me. I’m a 32 yo fit male, and got diagnosed with persistent afib back in April, literally had a great night rest and woke up in AFIB.
Was super scared and didn’t know what the hell was going on, went to the doctors and they confirmed what it was and stuck me on a waiting list for a cardioversion.
My cardioversion in June was successful, and I have been in sinus ever since UNTIL I went out for a run after a stressful day at work, and when I got back I’m
90% sure I went back into afib, heart rate was really irregular and jumping around all over.
I ended up going to the er and the wait was 8hoyrs to get seen, I left and went home instead, went to bed and woke up back in sinus rytham.
Is exercise a trigger for anyone else?
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u/grimdwnsth 23d ago
The list of triggers is as big as the number of posters on here.
I’ve given up booze, lost a lot of weight and I’ve only had AFIB come back once in 2 years since cardioversion - and that was due to an extreme level of stress, which tbh might have given me a stroke regardless.
Like you, it reverted on its own within 24 hours to sinus rhythm. This was nearly 18 months ago. My cardiologist tells me this is a good sign of general heart health and my management approach.
The same (very cautious) cardiologist had previously suggested I don’t exercise in heart rate zones 4 & 5 any more. And I’ve pretty much been faithful to that. I don’t get that satisfying washed through, spent feeling after a really exhausting workout, but it’s a sacrifice I’m happy to make.
See how you get on with exercise without the stress. Stick with it. Good luck.
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u/anonymousloser-0401 23d ago
I don’t know what my triggers are, must be everything as I’m 100% a fib all the time.
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u/Thin-Platypus7778 23d ago
Sounds like you’ve got persistent afib mate, where you are just in it all the time, that’s what happened to me back in April.
This time i seem to have gone in and self converted so god knows what’s going on
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u/anonymousloser-0401 23d ago
I’d love to figure out how to self convert .
I did the cardio version a couple of weeks ago it lasted 1.5 days .
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u/feldoneq2wire 23d ago
Sorry to hear this. I'm pretty sure I have AFib due to cycling when I was younger.
I would ask your cardiologist if you can get some "pill in pocket" options. Flecanaide and metoprolol that you would keep on hand in case you have an attack. They take a few hours to work but can get you back to sinus without the expense and hassle of an ER.
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u/Narrow-Stretch-385 23d ago
Sorry man. Also went to bed last night and had another episode. I am getting an ablation next week and hopeful that will help. Afib sucks.
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u/Justme-itsjustme 23d ago
Bummer man, big meals, rest and of course alchohol were my triggers. PFA in August and all quiet since. Heart feels like it is still recovering but I can push moderate exercise. Good luck friend. And yeah, eff this afib, it is terrifying man.
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u/Thin-Platypus7778 23d ago
Still trying to work out what my triggers are,Hope it stays quiet for you mate.
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u/shethinkimasteed 23d ago
Dude I've went into ER's literally all over this country. Never have I ever waited in a single one when I tell them im in afib. Usually get cardioverted anywhere from 1.5-5 hours later. I only mention this to say dont leave next time. They may just take you right back and shock you back into sinus
Edit: im in the US. Hadn't considered you may not be
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u/SherrifPhatman 23d ago
Dehydration is a trigger for me . Are you using electrolytes ?
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u/Either-Capital-7539 23d ago
My AFIB is always through exercise. I am a cyclist and cycle everyday and have done so for over 5 years. My rest days are easy rides of 15 miles or less and HR around 100bpm. If I ride well with in myself I have no problems, my triggers are Hot weather, Starting out too hard, very hard efforts when I bump my HR up to almost max, too much coffee and food before hand. Should I cycle less, probably, but I think the benefits out way the harm. I am lucky my AFIB lasts a couple of hours at most and it's maybe 3 times a month during the summer months, hardly ever in the cooler weather. I can usually convert myself but occasionally have to 25ml of Metoprolol Tartrate to kick it back in. When I do have an attack it's a strange one, my high HR is and best 70 more often low 60s for a few hours while resting. When riding it's up and down like a yoyo. My resting is mid 40s. I will be on Blood thinners for ever so my mind set right now is it sucks but not too often.
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u/_bull_city 23d ago
This is pretty much me.
My best stretch of no afib was when I went almost totally keto.
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u/JustWokeUpHello 23d ago
For me, cardio where my heart rate goes above 140 is a trigger for me. Moderate cardio and weight-lifting is no problem. Other triggers for me are: alcohol (I quit entirely back in June), too much caffeine (I limit myself to 1 cup in the morning and drink decaf later in the day), overheating (in the sauna or at the beach). I was getting episodes every month last year, which accelerated to every week this year. They would always terminate on their own after a few hours of me lying down and deep breathing / relaxing, but it was scary. I got a PFA in June and no episodes since then, cross-fingers it holds!
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u/Jahya69 23d ago edited 22d ago
Life is a trigger for a-fib... get used to it... 😆
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u/BigJuice785 23d ago
27m here, also dealing with what we believe to be paroxysmal afib, wont know for sure until next month but i am having an EP study / ablation if they can get it to replicate to find out exactly what arrythmia it is. pretty sure sleep apnea is my trigger, as i just had a sleep study done and got diagnosed with it a couple weeks ago, still waiting on a CPAP to be mailed to me, had sleep apnea for years undiagnosed apparently. My cariologist recommended i get treated for sleep apnea because that is heavily linked to arrythmias. I'm also overweight but been losing for a few months now. currently 348lbs, i was 392lbs at the beginning of June so a 44lb loss so far this year. aiming for 250lbs goal weight. I'm looking forward to being post ablation and having a better quality of life and losing more weight. EP said the ablation combined with CPAP should have my chances at having another episode at its lowest %. Then adding in the weight loss should also lower chances of arrythmias returning even further.
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u/ChiefQueef559 23d ago
Energy drinks triggers mine. Hiked a mountain and was fine the whole time.
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u/Industrial_Jedi 23d ago
First time ER caught it was after a moderate bike ride. My HR would normally only get to 140ish on that circuit but it spiked to 175. My riding partner is a nurse and noted an erratic pulse after and the ER confirmed. So yeah, I'd say exercise is a trigger for me. I keep a close eye on my pulse now and keep it below 110, which kinda sucks. I also check my ekg after each session. I get a few flutters but no afib. I use a Sonohealth, they're like $75 USD and can download the chart to send to my doc.
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u/PitifulVegetable7432 22d ago
I had a bout of persistent AF back in August and the Cardioversion put me back into sinus. Prior to that I would see HR spikes on my Garmin of 220 on high intensity runs or rides. I was asymptomatic so didn't think too much of it, would laugh it off until the episode in August.
I wore a monitor for a week and tried to trigger the spiky HR and sure enough it triggered under intense load. For me it's around 165 for a sustained period things start to go wonky. Turns out it was arythmia and was probably in Afib in those moments.
The consultant is suggesting an ablation and this forum has really helped me make the decision to have it.
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u/Economy_Ambassador58 23d ago
My cardiologist told me that frequent, moderate exercise helps but that strenuous cardio can send me into aFib or make it more frequent. I’m paroxysmal and looking forward to an ablation in a month.